What's better than winning the game at the buzzer?

Going from underdog to crown champion when capturing and retaining customers.

The lessons can be learned from the NCAA tournament.

Every March, Division One basketball teams fight for the national championship crown. March Madness is a time when the impossible becomes possible.

It's a single-elimination tournament where one bad game can send a top-seeded team packing and one incredible performance can propel an underdog to glory.

This format creates an environment where Cinderella stories thrive, and underdogs rise to the occasion.

Like the time when No. 16 seed UMBC shocked the world by defeating No. 1 seed Virginia, becoming the first No. 16 seed to ever beat a No. 1 seed in the men's tournament (2018). The Retrievers didn't just squeak by, either—they dominated the Cavaliers, winning by a score of 74-54.
Another incredible upset came in 2012, when No. 15 seed Norfolk State took down No. 2 seed Missouri. The Spartans were led by senior forward Kyle O'Quinn, who put up 26 points and 14 rebounds in the 86-84 victory.
Who could forget Valparaiso's stunning buzzer-beater against Ole Miss in 1998? With just 2.5 seconds left on the clock, Valpo's Bryce Drew hit a miraculous three-pointer to give the No. 13 seed a 70-69 win over the No. 4 seed Rebels.
Or in 1985, when Villanova, an eight seed, beat the 1st-seeded Georgetown Hoyas 66-64. This makes Villanova the lowest seed to win the NCAA Championship and is considered one of the biggest upsets in March Madness history.

The secrets to underdog success

So, what allows these underdog teams to defy the odds and pull off stunning upsets? A few key factors contribute to their success:

Team chemistry. These teams play with a sense of unity, and every player knows their role and is willing to sacrifice individual glory for the good of the team.
Grit. These teams didn't believe they were supposed to lose. They refused to be intimidated by the big-name programs they faced and never stopped fighting, even when the odds seemed insurmountable.
Coaching. The best underdog teams are led by coaches who know how to get the most out of their players and devise game plans that exploit their opponent's weaknesses.

A big part of coaching is watching game films. It helps coaches and teams get the most out of their players and devise game plans that exploit their opponent's weaknesses in several ways:

Identifying strengths and weaknesses: By analyzing game footage, coaches can identify the strengths and weaknesses of their own players and their opponents.
Developing targeted strategies: Once a coach has identified the opposing team's weaknesses, they can create specific game plans and strategies to exploit those vulnerabilities.
Enhancing player performance: Coaches can use game film to highlight areas where players excel and where they need improvement.

By leveraging the insights gained from watching game films, coaches can make data-driven decisions, create targeted game plans, and ultimately put their team in the best position to succeed on the court.

The same applies to businesses. Except the game films are replaced by win-loss and churn-retention analyses. Win-loss and churn-retention analyses are powerful tools businesses can use to understand their customers, improve their products or services, and ultimately increase their chances of success in the market.

Just like the combination of strong chemistry, grit, and coaching in basketball leads to a classic March Madness Cinderella story, it also leads to a win in business.

The Madness of March: How Underdogs and Businesses Embrace the Cinderella Story

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